Dal Makhani Recipe

Dal Makhani is a traditional North Indian vegetarian dish high in protein. Traditionally it is cooked on low flame for hours on charcoal, which gives it a rich creamy texture. Whenever I cook this I try to reduce ghee and butter as much as I can to make it healthier and also I never add cream expect if I am cooking for a party…. I can assure you even though you reduce ghee, butter and cream this curry tastes heavenly…. I have given the recipe as it is in the book and you are free to add moderate amounts of cream or butter if you wish…  

Dal Makhani Recipe

(Recipe Source: Nita Mehta’s Tandoori Cooking in the Oven )
Serves-6
Ingredients:
1 cup Whole black beans / urad saboot
2 tbsp Split gram dal / channe ki dal
1 tbsp ghee or oil
5 cups of water
1 ½ tsp salt
3 tbsp ghee / oil
5 large tomatoes pureed in a blender
2 tsp coriander powder / dhania powder
½ tsp garam masala
1 tbsp Dry fenugreek leaves / kasoori methi
2 tsp tomato ketchup
2-3 tbsp butter
½ cup milk
½ cup cream
A pinch of nutmeg powder / jaiphal / jaathikka
Grind to a Paste
3 dry whole red chillies, deseeded and soaked for 10 minutes and then drained
1” piece ginger
5-6 flakes garlic

Method:

• Pressure cook both dals with 5 cups water, 1 tbsp ghee, salt and ginger-garlic-chilly paste.
• After the first whistle, keep on low flame for 40 mints. Remove from fire. After the pressure drops, mash the hot dal a little. Keep aside.
• Heat ghee. Add tomatoes pureed in a blender. Cook until thick and dry.
• Add the garam masala and coriander powder. Cook until ghee separates.
• Add kassori methi. Cook further for 1-2 minutes.
• Add this tomato mixture to the boiled dal.
• Add tomato ketchup.
• Add butter. Simmer on low flame for 20-25 minutes, stirring and mashing the dal occasionally with the back of the spoon against the sides of the cooker.
• Add milk. Mix very well with a spoon. Simmer for 15-20 minutes more to get the right colour and smoothness.
• Reduce heat. Add nutmeg/ jaiphal. Mix. Add cream gradually, stirring continuously. Remove from fire and serve with Indian Breads or pulavs.

In picture: Rumali Roti and Dal Makhani